Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse

Monday, March 14, 2011

"It's easy to be independent when you've got money. But to be independent when you haven't got a thing--that's the Lord's test." ~ Mahalia Jackson, American singer (1911-1972)

AmHis

The American Historical Christian Fiction blog hi-lights books by Christian authors who are led by the Lord to write about characters and stories set in America's past. They are exciting stories of romance, adventure and suspense, written to inspire and encourage.

If you're looking for a book for yourself, a loved one, or those who may need an uplifting message woven through an entertaining story, please consider new monthly releases in inspirational historical fiction found here--the kind that take you on a journey into our country's past (from early colonial times to WWII) and illuminates the trials, beauty and blessings of our great nation.

This week it's my pleasure to hi-light Author of the Week:Laurie Alice Eakes and her latest release: "Jersey Brides"

Following is an excerpt from my interview with Laurie Alice:

When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

When I was a little girl, maybe five or six(?) I was already making up stories.

How did you prepare: Workshops, college courses, books on craft?

All of the above. I attended a couple of writers conferences and read several books, but when I went to graduate school for a master’s degree in writing fiction was when everything clicked into place for me.

Were you writing fiction before you got published?

Yes. I started writing fiction when I was a mere child, had some short stories published in school literary mags, etc. Later, when I knew what I was doing, I moved to novels.

How many years/stories did you write before the first one was accepted?

I don’t know. Honestly. I had a lot of fits and starts where school and work interfered, and I got addicted to research for a long time. Maybe four for each.

Why do you enjoy writing historicals? (and anything more you want to add to this--anything special about time/settings etc.)

I like history and enjoyed reading historicals, so it’s a natural progression to writing them. Somehow, the fantasy world of story, getting oneself lost in that world is much more effective when writing an historical. And sometimes I’m so out of the mainstream culture, I can’t figure out how I’d be cool enough to write contemporary, though I’d like to one day. I really don’t know what designers are in or what shoes are the hippest this year, and it’ll change before the book is out anyway. For me, I buy what I like and what suits me and don’t pay attention to labels, so would have really dowdy heroines trying to survive in the modern world. Of course, in full disclosure, I do have a Brahmin handbag.

Jersey Brides is a repack of all 3 New Jersey historical books from Heartsong Presents (The Glassblower, The Heiress, The Newcomer).

Thanks Laurie Alice, for letting us get to know you, and something about your latest release. Laurie Alice has graciously offered "Jersey Brides" as a giveaway this week. Please leave a comment and your e-mail address if you'd like to be entered in the drawing for this charming collection of stories. If you'd like to know more about Laurie Alice and her books, go to her website at: www.lauriealiceeakes.com

Title: Jersey BridesAuthor: Laurie Alice EakesPublisher: Barbour

Travel back to the glory days of New Jersey where three women are having conflicts with wealth and status when attractive men enter their lives. Meg is being forced into marriage for riches when her heart longs for a simple artisan. Susan is powerless to use her fortune on the poor or to protect it from her future husband. Marigold is forced to work as a lowly nursemaid for orphans awaiting their uncle before receiving her birthright. Will God lead these women to loves that are even greater in value than money?

Historic Flash Facts

Curious about what happened on your birth date one hundred years ago....(wouldn't it make a great theme for your birthday party?) Or searching for an historical event to include in a story you're writing? Check out Historic Flash Facts; new entries will be added weekly to keep you "up-to-date".

March 13, 1925The Tennessee General Assembly approved a bill prohibiting the teaching of the theory of evolution.

1928Hundreds of people died when the San Francisquito Valley in California was inundated with water after the St. Francis Dam burst just before midnight the evening of March 12th.

1933Banks began to reopen after the "holiday" declared by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

March 14, 1794Eli Whitney received a patent for his cotton gin, an invention that revolutionized America's cotton industry.

March 15, 1913President Woodrow Wilson met with reporters for what's been described as the first presidential press conference.

March 16, 1802President Thomas Jefferson signed a measure authorizing the establishment of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

1850Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlett Letter was first published.

Monday, March 7, 2011

"America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." ~ Alexis de Tocqueville.

AmHis

The American Historical Christian Fiction blog hi-lights books by Christian authors who are led by the Lord to write about characters and stories set in America's past. They are exciting stories of romance, adventure and suspense, written to inspire and encourage.

If you're looking for a book for yourself, a loved one, or those who may need an uplifting message woven through an entertaining story, please consider new monthly releases in inspirational historical fiction found here--the kind that take you on a journey into our country's past (from early colonial times to WWII) and illuminates the trials, beauty and blessings of our great nation.

This week it's my pleasure to hi-light Author of the Week:Siri Mitchell and her latest release: "A Heart Most Worthy"

I've asked Siri some of the same questions I've asked other authors recently, yet I'm amazed at the unique backgrounds, approaches to the craft of writing, and how they got to this point in their careers. I hope something in their answers will resonate for you.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I always thought I ought to try and write a book. I started working on an idea in 1994, but the opportunity to get serious about it came in 1996 when my husband and I moved to Paris. I wrote three books while I was there and moved stateside in 2000 with the inspiration for a fourth.

How did you prepare? College courses? Workshops? Books on Craft?

I was woefully ignorant about the whole writing process. Stuck as I was in Europe, I didn’t know about groups like ACFW and RWA. And had I known about web sites like Preditors and Editors I would have saved myself from being victimized by a book doctor scam. As it was, there was a British author at our church who mentored me. Basically, I learned to write by writing.

Why do you enjoy writing historicals? (and anything more you want to add to this--anything special about time/settings etc.)

I feel like historical fiction provides a way to approach themes and address issues in a less confrontational way than contemporary fiction. It’s easier to ask a reader to think about self-esteem and the consequences of faith-by-rules, for instance, if I’m doing in the context of the 1600, 1700, or 1800s. It’s amazing how people living in different times and places ask themselves the same questions. I’m constantly surprised by two things as I write: just how similar folks in past eras were to people today…and just how different.

Do you have other work besides writing; and if so, how do you manage to balance both?

I consider writing a part-time job and confine it to the hours of 10:00 – 3:00, Monday through Friday. The rest of my time I spend taking care of myself, my house, and my family. If I don’t put boundaries around my writing, it has a tendency to take over all of my time and attention and that’s not fair to the other responsibilities in my life.

How many years/stories did you write before the first one was accepted?

I wrote three novels and one non-fiction book. The fourth novel I wrote, based on the ideas in the non-fiction manuscript, was the first one contracted. Two of the novels I’d previously written were then subsequently contracted. In all, it took ten years, four books, and 153 rejections before my fifth book (that fourth novel) was contracted.

What's your next book/release date we can look forward to? (A quick sentence or two of what it's about to whet our appetites? :)

My next book, The Messenger, will release in spring of 2012. I just turned it in to my editor last week. It’s a novel of intrigue (something a bit different for me) set in eighteenth century Philadelphia. A Heart Most Worthy was written in the omniscient point of view, but with The Messenger, I went back to my standard first-person point of view. Here’s my working blurb for the story: A veteran of the Indian Wars and a pacifist Quaker; a man who lost his arm and a girl who lost her convictions. In a city filled with partisans, it will take two outcasts to accomplish the impossible…and two solitary hearts to find a love worth fighting for.

Title" A Heart Most WorthyAuthor: Siri MitchellPublisher: Bethany House

In 1918 Boston, three seamstresses dare to dream of a better life. Fiery Julietta pursues love recklessly. Shy Annamaria falls for the wrong man. Secretive Luciana’s past endangers them all. Drawn together amid the opulence of Madame Fortier’s dress shop, will each find the fairy-tale ending she seeks?

Thanks Siri, for letting us get to know you, and something about your latest release. Siri has graciously offered "A Heart Most Worthy" as a giveaway this week. Please leave a comment and your e-mail address if you'd like to be entered in the drawing for this charming collection of stories. If you'd like to know more about Siri and her books, go to her website at: www.sirimitchell.com

Historic Flash Facts

Curious about what happened on your birth date one hundred years ago....(wouldn't it make a great theme for your birthday party?) Or searching for an historical event to include in a story you're writing? Check out Historic Flash Facts; new entries will be added weekly to keep you "up-to-date".

March 6, 1836The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas fell to Mexican forces after a thirteen day siege.

1857The United States Supreme Court ruled in Dred Scott v. Sandford that Scott, a slave, was not an American citizen and could not sue for his freedom in federal court.

1944U.S. heavy bombers staged the first full-scale American raid on Berlin during World War II.

March 7, 1876Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for his telephone.

1911President William Howard Taft ordered 20,000 troops to patrol the U.S.- Mexico border in response to the Mexican Revolution.

1926The first successful trans-Atlantic radio-telephone conversation took place between New York and London.

March 8, 1862During the Civil War, the ironclad CSS Virginia reammed and sank the USS Cumberland and heavily damaged the USS Congress, both frigates, off Newport News, Va.

1874The 13th President of the U.S., Millard Fillmore, died in Buffalo at age 74.

1930 The 27th President of the U.S., William Howard Taft, died in Washington, D.C. at age 72.

March 9, 1861The Confederate Congress, meeting in Montgomery, Ala., authorized the issuing of paper currency, in the form of interest-bearing notes, which were initially printed by a New York firm, the National Bank Note Co.